No stopping San Diego group's 'Kony 2012' campaign

“Most of the people they engage with are on social media. They become fans on Facebook or Twitter, so when the group has something to say, it spreads very quickly,” said Scot P. Chisholm, founder and CEO of StayClassy, a local company that develops fundraising software for nonprofits, including Invisible Children. “I can’t speak for them, but I don’t think even they knew it would be this viral. We are still trying to figure that out.”

Not all of the attention has been positive. As the “Kony 2012” support built up, old questions about Invisible Children’s finances resurfaced (see sidebar), and detractors criticized the group for oversimplifying a complicated political issue. Citing “a high volume of requests,” Invisible Children did not respond to an email requesting an interview.

But in critiquing the group, its detractors are still talking about it, which added to the throngs of web traffic.

Founded in 2005, Invisible Children has worked to raise awareness and money for Ugandan children — focusing on mobilizing American youths because of their energy and idealism. Invisible Children conducts educational programs at schools across the nation and sponsors fundraisers, demonstrations and other public awareness programs.

In Africa, Invisible Children has helped create several tools to warn villagers of an impending attack from the LRA. Since 2010, the local charity has spent more than $240,000 on radios and broadcast towers in the Congo; an additional $390,000 has been budgeted to extend this network further into the Congo and the Central African Republic. Information from this system is fed into a website that acts as the conflict’s real-time diary.

Invisible Children also broadcasts radio appeals to child soldiers, many

of whom were abducted and told they would never be forgiven by their families, telling them it’s safe to return home.

On Invisible Children’s “Kony 2012” website (kony2012), supporters are asked to sign a pledge to “help us bring Kony to justice in 2012.” They can donate to the group and buy Kony 2012 merchandise. The organization has dubbed April 20th “Cover the Night,” urging its troops to spend the day covering their cities with posters raising support for Kony’s arrest. And when it comes time for the next move, Invisible Children should have no trouble making itself heard.

“If their mission is to raise awareness, they accomplished that,” Nee said. “Where it goes from here is anyone’s guess.”